Unit Title: “I Can Do It Too!” - an Authentic Experience of Mexico
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Unit Title: “I Can Do It Too!” - An Authentic Experience of Mexico Author & School: Stephanie Skiba, P.S. 86 – NYC DOE (District 10), Bronx, NY Subject Area: Social Studies Topic: Interactive Cultural Study Grade level(s): Grade 3 (can be adapted to most elementary grade-levels) Time Frame: 6 weeks (11 lessons based on two classes each week (about 45-minutes each) and a celebration) Evidence of Mastery: Rubrics have been created to track each student’s mastery of performance tasks throughout the unit and can be used in a child’s assessment folder. Unit Summary: In this unit, students will get an introduction to the country of Mexico and complete activities relevant to life for kids there. The unit will follow the order of: geography (1 lesson), history (2 lessons), cultural activities (7 lessons), and celebration (1 class period). During all steps of the learning process, students will view images on a PowerPoint slideshow, complete worksheets, and do hands-on activities. Students can also reference the e-book “A Kid’s Guide to Mexico” by Stephanie Skiba, which was created specifically to accompany this unit. At the start of the unit, students will use different resources to locate Mexico. Delving in deeper, students will be expected to identify major physical features on a map of Mexico (including, but not limited to, Sierra Madre del Sur, Rio Grande, Mexico City, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean). Next, students will get a brief history of Mexico with the assistance of a timeline. Points included in this history are: Mayan and Aztec civilizations, Spanish conquest, and Mexican independence. Then, students will learn about current topics in Mexican culture. They will complete activities for each, including but not limited to food, music/dance, clothing, art, and language. For each part of the unit, as many interactive assessments as possible should be used. For example, students will read a Mexican recipe and then make that food. They will also examine Mexican pottery and try to replicate it using salt dough, among other activities. To better understand Mexican culture it would be ideal for students to have access to a Mexico “treasure box.” This would include small items from Mexico, like photographs of people, images of food [with recipes], musical instruments, CDs of music, videos in Spanish, textiles, pottery, images of artwork, money samples, magazines, books, etc. Recommended read alouds are also included at the end of each lesson and can be done prior to or after each lesson, perhaps as part of the day’s English Language Arts block. Finally, to culminate their study of Mexico, students will share one of their interactive projects from the unit with the class, and react to the process of participating in “authentic” activities. They will celebrate the end of their unit with a typical Mexican fiesta. Long Term Plan – Unit Overview Subject Area Social Studies Grade Level 3rd Lesson Standards/ Aims Essential Questions Number Sub-Standards Addressed 1 (Geography) New York State Social • To locate Mexico on a world map. • Where is Mexico? Studies Performance • To identify basic physical • What physical features Indicators: 3.1c, 3.1d, features of Mexico on a country (mountains, rivers, 3.1b map. forests, etc.) can be • To create a map that represents found in Mexico? the physical features of Mexico’s • Where are the specific topography/geography. physical features of Mexico located? 2 (History: New York State Social • To identify the first groups of • Who were the first Ancient History) Studies Performance people to settle in the land that groups to settle in the Indicators: 2.1c, 2.2a, is now Mexico. land that is now Mexico? 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d • To analyze the similarities and • What contributions did differences between the Mayans these early people make? and the Aztecs. • Are there still traces of • To illustrate images of select these people today? Mayan and Aztec gods. 3 (History: New York State Social • To discuss the Age of • How did the arrival of Modern History) Studies Performance Exploration and its impact on the Europeans affect the Indicators: 2.1c, 2.2a, land that is now Mexico. land that is now Mexico? 2.2b, 2.2c, 2.2d, 2.3b • To identify various “key players” • Which people helped in the formation of the country form the actual state of of Mexico. Mexico? • To interpret a timeline of recent • What is the current Mexican history and classify structure of the Mexican important political figures. government? Skiba – I Can Do It Too! p. 2 of 61 4 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To identify modes of • What transportation do Daily Life – Clothing Studies Performance transportation used by people in people in urban areas and Transportation) Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3c, Mexico. use? Rural? 2.4b • To compare and contrast • What types of houses do transportation and housing in people in urban areas rural and urban areas. have? Rural? • To analyze photographs of • What styles of clothing Mexican clothing. are common in Mexico? • To design paper doll clothing • How is the style of templates representative of clothing in urban Mexico Mexican clothing styles. similar to and different from rural Mexico? 5 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To identify styles of music • What role does music Music and Dance) Studies Performance played in Mexico and popular play in Mexico? Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3a, Mexican musicians. • How is dance in Mexico 2.3c, 2.4b, 2.4c • To compare and contrast music similar to and different and dance from Mexico with from dance in the U.S.? music and dance from the U.S. • What are important • To examine a traditional Mexican elements in the Mexican birthday song. birthday song, Las Mañanitas? 6 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To identify styles of art created • What types of artwork Types of Art) Studies Performance in Mexico. do people in Mexico Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3a, • To link the styles of artwork produce? 2.3c, 2.4b, 2.4c with popular Mexican artists. • Why do many local people • To construct pottery recreations consider themselves using techniques similar to artists? Mexican artists. • Who are some famous artists in Mexican history? 7 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To define the meaning of • What languages do the Language and Studies Performance language. people of Mexico speak? Literacy) Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3c, • To discuss where language is • When and how do 2.4b learned and how it is used. children learn language? • To conclude that the people in Mexico do not all speak the same language. • To memorize the meanings of simple Spanish words by completing various word games. Skiba – I Can Do It Too! p. 3 of 61 8 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To discuss holidays in Mexico • What holidays are Holidays) Studies Performance and compare them with holidays celebrated in Mexico? Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3c, in the United States. • How do people celebrate 2.4b • To match national holidays with these holidays? their dates on a blank calendar. • How are the holidays in New York State Math • To prepare for a celebration of Mexico similar to and Standard: 2.PS.4 Mexico by creating Mexican- different from holidays style banners. in the U.S.? 9 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To identify the coins and bills • What type of money does Economics) Studies Performance used in Mexico. Mexico produce? Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3c, • To compare the style of the • How does the Mexican 2.4b, 4.1c Mexican peso to American peso compare to the dollars. American dollar? New York State Math • To review a conversion chart • How is the Mexican peso Standard: 3.M.7 that compares the American similar to and different dollar and the Mexican peso. from the money we know? • To practice using Mexican pesos. • To make change using Mexican pesos. 10 (Cultural Awareness: New York State Social • To identify the meals that • What meals do people eat Food and Drink) Studies Performance people in Mexico eat and the in Mexico? What foods Indicators: 2.1c, 2.3c, time of day they usually occur. are typical for each meal? 2.4b • To understand the role of Coca- • What role do the soft Cola and Pepsi in Mexico. drink companies Coca- • To read a recipe and make a Cola and Pepsi play in tortilla. Mexico? 11 (Celebration) New York State ELA • To share our understandings of • How can we share our Standard: 4 Mexican geography, history, and understandings from our culture. unit on Mexico? Prior to teaching first lesson – Have students complete the “What I Know” and “What I Want to Know” sections of the K-W-L: Mexico chart (Handout 0.1). This will help gauge each student’s prior knowledge and assist the teacher in planning the lessons that follow. The teacher should collect this chart and hand it back to the students during the celebration. At the celebration, students should review the “What I Know” column and address any misunderstandings they had, that have now been cleared up. They should also review the “What I Want to Know” column and highlight all of the questions they had that were answered over the course of the unit. Finally, students should fill in the “What I Learned” column, inputting any new understandings that they have. Skiba – I Can Do It Too! p. 4 of 61 Lesson Number: 1 Social Studies Topic: Geography Subject/Topic • Social Studies Areas • with art extensions (drawing, coloring, designing) • with writing extensions (reflection) Standards and/or Sub-Standards NYS Social Studies Performance Indicators - 3.1c: Locate places within the local community, state, and nation.